The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is here! However, it's currently 107 degrees in Los Angeles where I live, so I am wondering: Can you get The Pumpkin Spice Latte iced? The answer is yes, which is great news because the last thing I want during this epic West Coast heatwave is a hot drink. But, I still want my pumpkin-spice fix. Starbucks "signature espresso and milk are highlighted by flavor notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, and served over ice to create this cool seasonal sensation," Starbucks noted on its website. "Enjoy it topped with whipped cream and real pumpkin pie spices."
If you're a diehard PSL fan, then you might know that this fall favorite has been available in ready-to-drink PSL bottles for a few weeks at grocery stores, according to Mashable. Additionally, Mashable reported that Starbucks is releasing Pumpkin Spice Flavored Ground Coffee featuring notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Whether you like it iced, hot and steamy, ready to drink, or as a DIY home-brew coffee, the PSL craze has officially hit the U.S. And, while some people are crying "too soon," real PSL fans have been ready since it disappeared last fall. And, thanks to these true-blue PSL supporters, some baristas have started a PSL a “support group” on Reddit where they can lament the early arrival of everyone's favorite fall drink, according to Grub Street.
But, barista fatigue can't stop the PSL love from coming in waves. A love that Starbucks has been credited with creating when it officially launched the PSL in 2003. "At the time, the beverage innovation team wanted to create an espresso beverage that epitomized the comfort and nostalgia of fall," Lydia Schrandt reported for USA Today's 10Best. "They gathered in the 'Liquid Lab' in Starbucks' Seattle headquarters, where they alternated between bites of pumpkin pie and sips of espresso until the flavor profile was perfect."
Um, how do I get that job?
"We certainly didn’t know 13 years ago when we first introduced the original PSL that it would turn into our most popular seasonal beverage of all time," a Starbucks representative told 10Best. "It has come to represent the essence of the season: Coziness, fall spices, pumpkins, and cooler weather, mixed with a little nostalgia."
While the cooler weather is not a reality for everyone — did I mention that it's 107 degrees today? — getting the PSL over ice is a perfect remedy if you're stuck in the heatwave but still want to get your PSL on. Because, who decided that pumpkins were just for crisp fall weather? Why are we depriving ourselves?
In fact, I'm eating Planters Pumpkin Spice almonds right now. In Los Angeles, fall is actually summer's hotter, and less popular, cousin. This means I have to do little things to pretend it's fall, like eat pumpkin-spice nuts, and drink PSLs over ice while the city is a sweltering inferno where the only thing that can cool you off (other than an iced PSL) is your own tears. And, it's not all in your head — pumpkin flavored things actually do make us feel good.
"From an emotional standpoint, pumpkin spice evokes the comfort of a cozy kitchen and good things baking in the oven," Eliza Cross, author of the Pumpkin it Up! cookbook, told 10Best. "More than any other flavor, I think pumpkin spice encompasses the sweet comfort of being home."
If you want to indulge in some emotional PSL drinking today, iced or hot, no judgement. It's been a dumpster fire of year, and you deserve it.
